ART in the WIND

160 Yards

2012-02-08T16:15:00.001-08:00

That's how long the finished two-ply yarn turned out to be. At about 20 wraps per inch, it's lace, baby, or fingering weight yarn, depending on which yarn chart you use. Now all I have to do is find a small project for it. Any suggestions?

Red and Gold

2012-02-07T13:22:00.001-08:00

I have finished spinning the singles from the two samples of merino, tussah silk, and camel. They weighed in at about a half ounce each. I wound them into balls for plying, but have not measured them, so I don't really know what the plied yardage will be. The color in the photos does not do justice to the actual colors. They are much more vibrant than they appear. See this previous post for a more accurate representation of the colors.

(One thing I've noticed when posting photos from my iPhone to the blog is that the format is larger than when I use my non-cell phone camera. In the drafts and previews, the photos seem fine, but when the blog is posted, the larger format is too big and the right side of the photos gets cut off. Any suggestions?)

For those of you who are spinners and are curious, these singles measured about 36 wraps per inch.

Boy, these colors look nothing like the real stuff. I tried making a few photos outside, but the sunlight was too intense and it was too dark in the shade. Here, the two balls have been wound together in preparation for plying. This is a trick that I learned after reading Abby Franquemont's book, Respect the Spindle. Since I've been winding the strands together, I seem to be having better plying results, especially when plying more than two strands. I will be plying this tonight and hope to post the results tomorrow.

I just noticed that the colors of the yarn coordinate with the colors of the pizza coupon flyer under them. Hmm. Maybe that's what's for supper tonight.
(Good grief! Just look at all the cat hair on that printer cover. Well, better the cover than the printer, I guess!)

A Little Bit of Spring

2012-02-06T20:27:00.001-08:00

This one little clump of daffodils is blooming in my side yard. They are so pretty there in their little spot of the yard. This clump was a surprise that came up a few years ago. Interestingly, none of the others in the yard are blooming yet.

Silky Stuff

2012-01-30T14:34:00.001-08:00

Now that I've finished up other spinning and wool processing projects for some folks, I have this lovely silk stuff to spin up.

This silky red and yellow fuzz balls are blends of merino wool, tussah silk, and camel down that I bought at the Roc Day celebration held at Little Barn, a fiber shop here in Madison County. The custom batts are dyed and blended by Patty White, one of the owners of the shop. The quantities are very limited. I had quite a time making up my mind which colors to get. I almost waited too late! Many of the other fiber fanatics in attendance had just about depleted the supply by the time I broke down and decided to buy fiber that day.

After experimenting with them a bit, I've decided to spin each in thin singles and ply the two colors together. I spindle spun a small sample at the gathering the day I got the fiber, plying the two colors after a spinning friend suggested it. I think I like it.

The other lovely mass of fiber fun is carded tussah silk that Patty also dyes for the shop. I got this several months ago. The bags were full of such beautiful, multi-colored stuff that choosing was difficult that day, too. I ended up buying six bags. That's six ounces. It doesn't sound like much, but it will go a long way. I will probably spin a lace weight, two-ply yarn with it as well. It doesn't look great in the photo because I just opened a few bags and flopped them out on the chair seat to photograph before I lost the light (this iPhone is not the one with the fancy camera, so I have to take my chances). They've been compressed in those bags for quite some time now. Once liberated and shaken out a bit, they are truly lovely to look at, delightful to...spin.

I hope I remember to photograph the end results when I get them done. . . if I'm not too old and feeble to use a computer by then.

Just a Shell...

2012-01-28T14:58:00.001-08:00

...of its former self

Whatever it was, wherever it came from, whatever its purpose for being here, the alien seed pod is no more. Little is left but the tattered, weathered shell and a small amount of the spore matrix.

I expect this will be the last post for the alien seed pod, but I will check it now and then to see if there are any changes and post if there is anything significant.

In case any of you missed the pod's progress since the middle of November, here is a review in reverse order. You can catch up by clicking on any of the titles.
Still There
The Pod! The Pod!
Bunny Pants and Pod Update

Pod Watch Continues
Pod Update
Alien Seed Pod Watch Continues
Alien Seed Pod

I am still amazed that this giant puffball fungi survived the lawnmower, neighborhood kids, and dogs, cats, or other critters. It will be interesting to see if a whole crop of them pops up when just the right climatic conditions develop. I'll keep an eye out for them and be sure to post if I spot any, but for now for our little pod, click here because it is . . . time to say goodbye . . .

Still There

2012-01-19T19:40:00.001-08:00

Progress report on the alien seed pod.

It's still hanging on. The outer shell is weathering and the interior is sinking.

I've been thinking that when I first discovered the top gone (bottom photo), it was the result of that stage of the alien landing vehicle having blasted away to return to the mother ship, leaving the spore matrix behind for colonization purposes.

My Space

2012-01-16T12:29:00.001-08:00

Matilda says this is her territory.

Everybody else KEEP OUT!!

Especially YOU!

Passing

2012-01-08T20:37:00.000-08:00

for Savannah, RG, and BL over at A Houseful of Rabbits.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tzgKV82SXY
(you might have to adjust the volume when you click over to the video)

If the link does not work, please visit YouTube, copy and paste the URL

All this New Year's stuff

2012-01-01T09:12:00.001-08:00

is too much for some folks. PetCat finds a good way to relax.

Now I just need to find a nice, big, cozy box to curl up in for a nap.

Happy New Year to one and all!!

This is just to say...*

2011-12-31T18:20:00.001-08:00

Everyone party responsibly and have a safe New Year's Eve!

*(Sorry, no poem, but you can read it here. The photo is from the company Christmas party; we're staying home to celebrate.)

Surprise

2011-12-29T13:12:00.001-08:00

Look what was in the box the new printer came in

Song Without Words

2011-12-22T11:15:00.001-08:00

The Pod! The Pod!

2011-12-17T11:54:00.001-08:00

I fear my title is misleading. Nothing really weird or creepy has emerged and it hasn't exploded.

Curiosity is about to overwhelm me. I finally went out and poked around on it. I'm afraid a few more rainy days and neighborhood kids or dogs might be the death of it, so I'm really hoping it survives to whatever level of development is next (maybe this is it). It's looking like a bad chocolate mousse or something, but has a rather powdery, soft texture. When I poked it, "dust" came out--spores, I expect. Here's a photo and I've tried a video. Apologies for the cinematography. It was quite bright out and the image in the view screen was difficult to see (now if I can figure out how to load the video with the iPhone). You might try viewing the video in full screen mode.

When I poke it, all the brown stuff seems to either release spores or it is all made up of bizillions of spores. It reminds me of the line Astronaut Dave says in the movie 2001: A Space Odyssey, so I paraphrase: It's full of spores!

Bunny Pants and Pod Update

2011-12-11T11:20:00.001-08:00

I just wanted to share this with you rabbit lovers out there. I found this pair of fleece pants at Target last year and couldn't pass them up.

The print features three bunnies wearing winter gear.

Two bunnies are wearing scarves.

The third bunny is wearing ear muffs.

I thought I really needed these bunny pants. In addition to being totally cute, they are warm and cozy on these cold winter nights. I would have gotten more than one pair, but this is the only pair they had. I think I was meant to have them.

For the pod watchers: no change that I can see. :-( Still debating whether to take matters into my own hands, but I'd like to see what happens naturally. There's also a bit of the Pandora's Box aspect to it that makes me want to leave it alone. I'll give it a few more days...

All this work and worry over the pod takes a lot out of me physically and intellectually. I think it's time to put on the bunny pants and have a nap.

Pod Watch Continues

2011-12-08T13:55:00.001-08:00

I haven't noticed much difference since the last post. I am really tempted to poke it or smash it, but I'd also like to see what happens if it is just left alone. However, if it just degrades into an eroded blob, I will be disappointed. Unfortunately, I think that is probably going to be the outcome. Here's the latest photo. Not much appears to be going on externally.

Pod Update

2011-11-30T13:42:00.001-08:00

The other day before the cold, wet, rainy, snowy weather, our alien seed pod looked as though it had been sprinkled lightly with sugar. Today it looks like a cupcake with the icing nibbled off.

Thanksgiving Day

Looking like a pumpernickel bun

Today after the rain and wintry weather

It was difficult to determine whether the white stuff was a powder or granular. I didn't want to touch it because I was afraid the whole thing might collapse. I also wonder if the white substance was spores or another type of fungus or mold.

I am enjoying watching the progress of the puffball, but is difficult to resist the temptation to stomp it and watch the fine, powdery spores spew up into the air. After the wet weather, I'm wondering about the condition of the spores inside. I am also amazed that the children in the neighborhood haven't noticed it and destroyed it. Thanksgiving Day I found a smaller one in the grass under some leaves about a foot away from this one. It had seen better days and had either collapsed or had been squashed. A fine mist of spores came out when I poked at it with a stick. I glanced at the smaller one today while making photos of the larger one, but didn't attempt any closer investigation.

Buns in the Sun

2011-11-27T05:41:00.001-08:00

We had a fine day yesterday and all the bunnies got to go outside for a while. Now it's been raining since last night and will probably continue for several more hours today. Rain, cold temperatures, and possible snow is forecast for the next couple of days, so it's a good thing they got some time outside in the sun.

The buns certainly enjoy the old Cottontail Cottage. Between the cats clawing on it and the buns chewing on it, it has seen better days, although it still has some good ones left. It was a gift from a friend and I really need to let her know that it was money well spent.

Mopsy enjoys time in the cottage while Gabby preens and tries out a ballet pose

Gabby gets her time in the cottage. They aren't very good about sharing. That pale blob at the very front of the entrance is a wad of bunfur from a disagreement over who got the ground floor.

Matilda being a shy girl after some fur pulling by one of the other two during one of the battles for the ground floor

Mopsy has reclaimed her spot

This time of year, we have considerable molting going on while they get their winter coats. Matilda's gray points change with the seasons.

Matilda showing off her new white earrings and nose spot for the winter fashion season

Not sure what Mopsy's trying to accomplish with her fashion statement. Maybe she's going for a sort of Bohemian look this winter. I see lots of bunny combing in my future.

Gabby wouldn't be still long enough for any fashion shots, but back up in the top photo she's showing off her white leggings in her ballet pose. She also looks as though she could use a shave--her molt is beginning around her face, making her look like Miss Chubby Cheeks.

I was up early feeding and watering everybun. It is cool, dark, and rainy. A nap is in order. All of us here at the Huntsville Bunstead hope all of you have a great day.

Coming soon: another alien seed pod update. Stay tuned.

(This was my second attempt at posting from my iPhone. It's a learning experience. At least my photos aren't posting sideways. I found the space to add labels, but haven't figured out how to control photo placement or how to add text after uploading photos, so I have to do a final edit with the computer. I guess I'll eventually get it.)

Alien Seed Pod Watch Continues

2011-11-26T07:17:00.001-08:00

After a few days it's looking like this. A quite overbaked biscuit. I'm wondering when it will explode and spores will be released everywhere.

(Wow! My first attempt to post from my iPhone. I wonder what it will look like "on the big screen?")

(Only seemed to need a slight amount of editing. One thing I can't quite figure out is the "Huntsville Huntsville" in the "Location" area and don't seem to be able to remove the extra Huntsville here. I did not see a place to add labels, so I've had to do that on the computer.)

Alien Seed Pod

2011-11-19T11:11:00.001-08:00

This strange thing has been growing in our front yard for several days. We suspect alien activity and this is probably a seed pod left by the extraterrestrial visitors.

PetCat is willing to investigate from a distance.

A quarter is contaminated by being placed upon the pod to give a better idea of the size of the thing.

I dare to get close enough to almost touch it. The frame of reference seemed better using my hand than the quarter. It is about the size of an orange.

I don't think I've ever seen a puffball quite so large, although they can get much larger than this. This one is growing in an area of the yard where we've had fairy rings develop in the past.

Told ya it was an alien seed pod.

Check these links for more information on puffball fungi and fairy rings.

http://americanmushrooms.com/edibles3.htm
http://www.mushroomexpert.com/puffballs.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calvatia_gigantea
http://www.mushroomexpert.com/fairy_rings.html
http://www.coopext.colostate.edu/TRA/PLANTS/fairing.shtml

Pants da Man

2011-11-03T20:04:00.000-07:00

Pascal, known and loved as Jungle Pants, Pants Man, and Pants, weighs in around 20 pounds. He is the biggest cat we've ever had. He isn't just heavy, he's a big cat, tall and big-boned. When he was a tiny, tiny kitten we never dreamed he'd turn out to be such an incredible hulk. He is also one of the sweetest cats we've ever had. At his very first visit to the vet when he was just a tiny little handful of striped fuzz, the vet's assistant told us she'd read an article about brown tabbies that said they typically have the sweetest dispositions of all of cats. I don't know how reliable the article was, but Pants would certainly be a positive statistic that the author could add to his research.

Here is a photo from last year when he was crowding our little Pushkin out of a comfy pile of towels and spinning fiber left on the chair. Pushkin weighed the average 7-8 pounds and had a long, lanky, oriental-style physique. Pants is about 18 pounds in this photo, but is a big hulk even without the weight. Just look at the difference in the size of their heads. Pushkin seems to be saying "Hey, scoot over!!"

Trying to look remorseful after he pushed Pushkin out of the comfy snoozing place

Working on the Great Sphinx pose

Finally, a little attempt at art with the cell phone

That Pants. He da Man.*

*my bit for the spay/neuter campaign: he's neutered--if you love them, fix them

IMHO IMNSHO

2011-10-15T12:14:00.001-07:00

The Twink has spoken.

Trying out my new cell phone camera. So far, I think the old one was probably better, but maybe things will improve once I get used to this one.

(after reading The Fab Furs' comment, I realized I needed to redo the title to do justice properly to the Twink)

Scarecat

2011-10-12T14:25:00.000-07:00

The Huntsville Botanical Gardens has a scarecrow trail each year during September and October. The scarecrow designs must interpret the designated theme of the year. The theme this year is "Every 'Crow Has A Story." Click here for more information. It is always lots of fun and quite amazing to see the imagination and creativity that local organizations, businesses, and schools put into designing their scarecrows. They have also added hay bale art this year which allows even more imaginative fun. I watched for weeks as they constructed "Black Cat" at the entrance of the botanical gardens and wanted to save posting the photos until closer to Halloween, but it is just too cute to save any longer.

This is located right at the entrance on Bob Wallace Avenue and is a real eye-catcher.

Front view. Get a load of those whiskers!

Left side

And the point of this adorable work of creativity is the local spay-neuter campaign.

If my schedule improves, I hope to be able to actually tour the scarecrow trail and post more photos of the wild and scary things folks have come up with to entertain us this year.

Happy Halloween, Everyone!

(Click on the links for HBG information)

"Bunny Got Moves"

2011-09-26T10:31:00.000-07:00

This video of happy little Billy Bunny posted by spekkiloxlv on YouTube is not to be missed. Enjoy!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_XJss15fj0&feature=feedlik

Fargo's Fish

2011-09-12T19:07:00.000-07:00

Here ya go, Fargo. Finally found the fish photos from the water garden at the Huntsville Botanical Gardens. They aren't great, but they are pictures of fish. And remember, you can click on them to enlarge. Happy wishing!

Water Garden

2011-09-05T11:15:00.000-07:00

A shot of the water garden at the Huntsville Botanical Gardens

Pretty Girl

2011-09-01T20:04:00.000-07:00

HRH Twinkie

Problem Solving

2011-08-15T20:04:00.000-07:00

I caught Twinkie in action in the window last summer when our AC was out...
(click on photos to enlarge The Twink)

Time for a good scratch

There's not really enough room--raise the window a little more, slave

What do you mean you have other things to do?

Can't believe I have to do this myself. Maybe I can push it up this way.

Let me take a good look at this thing.

Something here makes it work.

Now I got it...

Well, now I got it...

Got it!

Things in the Sky Tonight

2011-08-12T18:00:00.000-07:00

Full moon
Perseid meteor shower
International Space Station

(click on each for websites)

Late Afternoon Rainbow, August 8, 2011

2011-08-09T15:26:00.000-07:00

After a late thunderstorm yesterday, there was an incredible rainbow in the east as the sun was setting. I was unable to photograph all of it because of the amount of sky it covered. The northern portion of the bow, although fairly faint, was visible from about 500-800 feet up and extended all the way up and across the sky to an elevation of at least 75 to 80 degrees, but then appeared to be obstructed by clouds. I think it was actually that the sun was so low in the sky that the prismatic phenomnenon of the sun shining through water droplets did not occur. The southern portion of the bow was mostly obscured except for the lowest portion which was extremely brilliant and presented a double bow image. Because I was driving and had access only to my cell phone camera, I was unable to get photos. When I could, I pulled off the road and got the southernmost part that, by the time I could photograph it, looked more like a sun dog than a rainbow. I have never seen such intense colors. The "trail" to the left of the the bow fragment is not a camera effect, but the brightness of the sky.The double portion of the bow is faintly visible to the right. This photo does not do justice to the brilliance of the light and color. It was made from the side of the road through the windshield of the van. Apologies for light poles, power lines, car interior, etc. When I tried getting shots out the car window, I got more street "stuff," gave up and just took what I could. Of the several photos I took, this one shows the intensity of the color of the bow the best. Click to enlarge.

Sun Pillar Sighting

2011-08-06T19:48:00.000-07:00

This evening while sitting outside enjoying a banana split at a local ice cream shop, I began looking for sun dogs as the sun was setting. I didn't see any, but on the way home I did get a real surprise when I spotted a sun pillar. For more information check the Atmospheric Optics site.

Around Ditto Landing

2011-07-27T16:33:00.000-07:00

A few shots made this spring at an old warehouse site near Ditto Landing Marina (click to enlarge photos if you wish)

view through the fence at the old dock

old warehouse

tree near old warehouse

warehouse with girl

rust landscape

rust on concrete detail

vines and wall

vines and wall detail

Atlantis: End of an Era

2011-07-21T03:03:00.000-07:00

image credit: NASA

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/launch/index.html

Some of my Facebook entries since July 8. Atlantis, last space shuttle launch. Prepare to be bored, but just felt the need to record this event this way. All times Central Daylight Time unless noted.

July 8, 8:08 a.m. CDT: Watching the last shuttle launch coverage from my living room. They're totally awesome in person. Hope the weather cooperates. Go, Atlantis!

[Didn't make it down to any of these last three launches. Have been to two in the past. Nothing like it. Also saw one heading in on approach to landing at Kennedy once from the beach at the condo in Coco Beach as John watched from atop one of the buildings at Cape Canaveral. He got to see the actual landing, but it was really something just standing there on the beach watching it pass over, with double sonic booms and shuttle sizzling by overhead. ]

July 8: 9:31 a.m.: Annette McNutt asks: Do you remember where you were for the first shuttle launch - Columbia?
9:51 a.m.: I reply: In Memphis, working at archaeological museum for both the first two launches, both Columbia, but that's about all I remember. I remember where I was when we lost Challenger--working in Memphis at Mississippi River Museum at Mud Island, helping to install a statewide traveling exhibit to commemorate the 200th birthday of the state of Tennessee.

July 8, 10:30 a.m.: Liftoff!!! Praying for success. Awesome photography these days.

July 21, 3:49 a.m.: Deorbit burn underway 3:49 a.m.

4:35 a.m: Getting ready to watch final space shuttle landing, Atlantis, in about an hour

4:36 a.m.: http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/shuttleoperations/orbiters/orbitersatl.html

4:39 a.m.: Atlantis now entering the Earth's atmosphere.

4:40 a.m.: Praying for a safe reentry and landing for Atlantis

4:46 a.m.: Ten minutes to landing. Atlantis just passing the west coast of FL headed to Kennedy Space Center Landing site

4:51 a.m.: 5 min to touchdown

4:52 a.m.: Atlantis: last lap around Kennedy

4:54 a.m.: Main gear touchdown

4:55 a.m.: Nose gear touchdown

4: 56 a.m: Wheel stop. Atlantis mission complete.

4:57 a.m.: Atlantis is home. End of an era.

5:11 a.m.: Marlies Holl Quattrochi comments on previous post: A beautiful landing! Bittersweet.
I reply: Yes, it is.

5: 15 a.m.: Full daylight at Kennedy. Excellent shot of Atlantis on the runway cooling off.

6:19 a.m.: Astronauts out of the orbiter and on the ground, being greeted by NASA admin and support crew, lots of handshakes and hugs; final walk-around; speeches

6:26 a.m.: Nap time for Melissa after speeches--maybe during

my thanks to NASA for photography; also apologies to NASA for any photo copyright infractions; just had to do it this time

Another Crosses the Bridge

2011-07-20T01:08:00.000-07:00

Our beautiful Pushkin crossed the Rainbow Bridge early yesterday morning after giving us so much love for the past six years. We will miss her.

Does this loom. . .

2011-07-12T21:04:00.001-07:00

. . . make my butt look big?

While checking the tension on some new warp that I had tied on, I stepped away from the loom briefly, then returned to find Pants sprawled comfortably upon the apron.

Atlantis: The Final Mission STS 135

2011-07-08T06:17:00.000-07:00

http://www.nasa.gov/missions/highlights/schedule.html

and

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/launch/index.html

Go, Atlantis!

I have been watching our manned spaceflight launches since the very first ones were televised when I was in elementary school in the early '60's. I had a personal interest in this endeavor because my brother-in-law worked for NASA from the beginning, moving to Huntsville in 1956 (when NASA was then the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics) and staying with NASA, primarily at Huntsville's George C. Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) until his retirement in the '70's, when he became a consultant and eventually a co-founder of an aerospace company that did configuration management for various NASA projects. As Fate would have it, my husband ended up working for a NASA contractor here in Huntsville beginning in 1987. It almost seems that manned spaceflight has always been a part of my life.

I might need a little explanation at this point--I'm not in my 80's yet--my sister and only sibling was 18 years older than I and she and her husband were truly my second family. I spent all but one summer with them from the time I was 5 until I was 18, so I went everywhere they were during those years. His career with NASA started in Huntsville, AL, but two years were spent in California (1960-61), one in Wellesley, MA while he went to MIT on a Sloane Fellowship in 1962, and another in Washington, D.C. in 1968. In between, there were lots of summer trips to the beach when he'd be in Cape Canaveral. I will always be indebted to them for all the wonderful trips and opportunities I had and for their love and willingness to have me as their summer child. Unfortunately, my sister died in 1998 as a result of ovarian cancer, but her husband is still very much a part of my life and of my children's. He is really like a father to me.

Awesome!! Go, Atlantis! The launch was a success and Atlantis is now in orbit. Beautiful photography and so many more really cool camera mounts. You really get a bird's eye view of some of the processes. I hate to see the end of the NASA shuttle program and wish that we could have managed to develop an alternative transport/orbiter to be ready now to replace the current system (and now I guess I should say former--well, not until the end of this mission with "wheel stop" on July 20, that is). I don't know what the status is on commercial US programs; just haven't been keeping up with it. There are many arguments against government-funded space programs, some of which are quite valid. The US space program has given us so much more than just a bunch of neat space pictures. Yes, it has been terribly expensive and there have been failures, but the space program has contributed enormously to so many aspects of life in terms of technology, medicine, communications, science, industry, agriculture, environment, commercial air travel, in the home, and so many other applications that it hasn't been without merit. I really don't think we can say that it is all pure folly in pursuit of one man's vision.

I will be hoping for clear skies on the nights that Atlantis and the International Space Station are visible over Huntsville. On nights with good weather and good viewing opportunities, I try to go out and look at ISS and marvel at the fact that that small thing is orbiting the earth with people inside. My husband and I often say to each other "There are people up there." Of course, we might say the same thing each time we see an airplane flying above us, a wonder in itself, but those spacecraft with astronauts up there, so far above the earth, so detatched, yet so connected, always manage to give us a moment's pause. I guess it's time to say:

Go, ISS!

Universal Explanation

2011-07-03T22:28:00.000-07:00

Now I know why I don't have total control of everything. I've been using the wrong device. And I'm sure it must be true, since it seems John has given it a try.

(click to enlarge photos)

Birthday card from Hallmark Cards

The $64 Question

2011-06-30T12:26:00.000-07:00

Okay. My oldest son is helping me prepare kits for the papermaking workshop I'm giving for the Cullman Fiber Guild (click here for general information on papermaking). We've gotten all the molds and deckles prepared. Gotten the press bars and screens ready. Now he's putting 2 sheets of pristine, unused printer paper in each bag. I want the participants to make a sheet from unused paper as well as recycling junk mail in this workshop. As he folds and stuffs pages, he says, "I just have one question. Why would you make paper from paper?"

Uh. I guess I failed to stress the recycling aspect of this workshop. Reduce, reuse, recycle. Making paper from junk mail is a great way to reduce the amount of paper that we throw away. There are lots of uses for this handmade paper. Cards, memo pads, gift tags, arts and crafts projects, etc. However, I'm not sure I convinced him of the usefulness of making paper from paper. After all, I'm still using water and electricity to pulp the paper, water to form the sheets and (sometimes)electricity to iron the sheets dry, so it isn't entirely green, but it does reduce the amount of unwanted paper that is thrown into the trash. And at this household, junk mail seems to be mostly what we get, so maybe I'm doing a little bit to save a tree.

I explained the whole process of making paper from trees. And the process of making it from cotton or linen rag. Even from making it from old blue jeans (kinda hard to do with a home setup, but can be done if you really want to work a lot). I'm still not sure I made my case.

Anyway, if any of you are interested in recycling junk mail or other used papers, go here and here (12 videos on YouTube) for good instructions by Arnold Grummer, former faculty member of the Institute of Paper Chemistry, former curator of the Dard Hunter Paper Museum, and proponent of this quick and easy method of recycling paper. For videos of Japanese paper making click here and here.

Here are a few of the participants and some of the decorative papers they made during the workshop.

Mrs. G made her first sheet using mostly green paper (washed out in the photo) that she pulped to a fairly fine degree and then added more coarsely processed yellow and other colored papers. In the blender it looked like guacamole.

Mr. H. is a woodworker and hobbyist of many things and had all sorts of wonderful things to include in his pulp. Here's his first sheet below.

Everyone seemed to have had a lot of fun grinding up paper and sloshing around in pulpy water. I'll bet some folks used an iron more than they had in years! Maybe they will recycle their excess mail, too.

N.B. I still don't know if No. 1 Son appreciated my response to his "$64 question." For those of you who are of the 50+ generations, you might remember the TV quiz show, "The $64,000 Question."

Obstacles to Weaving

2011-06-21T22:11:00.000-07:00

I love to weave, but there are a couple of things that keep me from getting to weave as often as I'd like, especially since the oldest son is now back at home and has reclaimed his room which was my studio while he was elsewhere. That means I am unable to set up the table loom in a room that can be closed off from the cats. Here is what happened during my latest attempt at weaving.

Pants: "What??"

Twink: "Cool! Check it out!"

Pants: "I fit just perfectly."

Twink: "My turn!"

Twink: "Pretty cool from up here, too."

Twink: "What??"

Naptime

2011-06-18T14:19:00.001-07:00

PetCat having a snooze after spending a long night in a hidey place in the den because he was afraid of the thunder and lightning from the storm.

Song without Words 6/6/2011

2011-06-06T20:09:00.001-07:00

click to enlarge

Space and Rocket Center After Hours

2011-05-26T00:01:00.000-07:00

Out one Sunday afternoon driving around. The U.S. Space and Rocket Center had already closed, but we walked around in the area at the entrance and made a few photos. Above, looking over from Calhoun Community College. You can see the Saturn V and Saturn I rockets with the Space Shot amusement ride in the background. For more info, click here
and here.

The huge Saturn V rocket reflected in the windows of the entrance of the Davidson Center for Space Exploration that also houses another Saturn V displayed horizontally. The Saturn V is the rocket that was used in the Apollo program to get the astronauts and payload to the moon.

The Saturn V is 363 ft tall, taller than the U.S. Capitol Building. You can see the Saturn I in the background. The Saturn I was also used in the Apollo program.

A different view of Saturn V.

Checking out one of the Saturn V engines.

Engine views.

Saturn I with nose of Space Shuttle Pathfinder in background. The Saturn I is located beyond the entrance gate, so I didn't get any closer shots this visit.

Space Shuttle Pathfinder displayed with solid and liquid fuel tanks near U.S. Space Camp area of the facility.

For some other photos and an interesting visit to the Space and Rocket Center with a small visitor of ours check a previous blog post "One Small Step..."

LillieBun: April 2001-May 18, 2011

2011-05-18T23:26:00.000-07:00

My dear LillieBun crossed the Rainbow Bridge this afternoon. She was a dear, little, spunky bun who graced us with her love and personality for ten years. She had slowed down a great deal and had some arthritis that was limiting her movement, although she would occasionally manage a binky in the playpens. She had become a little old fragile ladybun and I had been expecting this for several weeks, but until yesterday she had not gotten to the point of needing that final trip to the vet. Last night I knew that I'd have to take her today. She liked being held, but had never liked being picked up and would usually kick and squirm until she was comfortable and felt secure in my arms or on my lap. As I picked her up to hold her before putting her in the carrier, her efforts at protesting being picked up took all her strength. The trip to the vet wasn't necessary.

We will miss her.

One More Sun Halo Photo

2011-05-13T10:06:00.000-07:00

Same halo, same day, different time and location in yard, some clouds had moved in

Sun Halo 05/07/2011

2011-05-07T12:03:00.000-07:00

Sitting on the front porch spinning today. The sky is a bit hazy. I looked up a few minutes ago (about 1:45 CDT), saw this halo around the sun and made a few photos. Here are a couple. The dark area at the top of the first photo is the edge of the roof.

Are We Being Served?

2011-05-04T13:25:00.000-07:00

Barkeep!!

I caught Matilda sitting with her front paws on this former skate boarding accessory as if waiting to be served. It looks rather like she's bellied up to the bar and waiting for a vodka martini. I originally placed the piece in her playpen to provide some agility opportunities. She and Gabby do sometimes hop over it, but in its present position, they like to scooch under it as though they have found a hiding place as in this previous post: http://artinthewind.blogspot.com/2011/04/bunnies-and-spinning-wheel.html

All Powered Up

2011-05-03T11:29:00.000-07:00

Our power came back on around 1:30 a.m. on Monday. At that time, about 30% of the residents of Huntsville had power restored. They expected to have another 25% by Tuesday. At the moment, I do not know how much of the city has power, but there are still a few spots without it and the utility company is asking people to conserve both electricity and water.

We were so fortunate that we did not have any damage or injury from the the wave of storms that came through here. There was a terrible amount of destruction in some areas of the county, neighboring towns, and other parts of the state. The main impact for us was having no electricity for four days. Camping at home, basically. John set up the charcoal grill and the Coleman stove and other camp gear into a neat little kitchen on the patio. Those years of working with scouting and living history came in handy. We had volleyball and badminton games on the front lawn. Our oldest son is rather dependent on electronics for his entertainment and was frequently found in one of our cars using the inverter to charge up his computer battery in order to watch DVD's. One day he got careless and forgot the time, running down the battery in his dad's car. My van had little gas for a couple of days, so we were trying to be very conservative with fuel consumption. Having to run the car engines in order to charge batteries was not something we cared to do. He needs to find something that doesn't require electricity to keep him occupied. Of course, we had a battery powered radio, but it was nice to turn it off at night and just enjoy the silence. Flashlights and lanterns made reading and spinning my main activities, so not much changed for me. John and my daughter's friend laughed about how I just spent the evening spinning by candle or lantern light, much like when I was at the living history museum on dark winter days with just candles and the fireplace.

Volleyball antics 4/30/11

So many people have suffered so much because of the storms, I feel reluctant to admit that there were aspects of the power outage that I enjoyed--the dark, quiet nights and beautiful stars, the natural night sounds of little musical night critters. Birdsong during the day seemed so much more prominent and varied, too. There was a peacefulness that we don't often experience these days. In addition to the lack of electronic noise, there was little traffic noise because of the dusk to dawn curfew that has been in place since Wednesday evening. And most of all, neighbors coming together to help one another and share company. It took John and me back to the years when we were growing up in our small hometown in Tennessee. Nights were quieter and darker. Folks visited back and forth across their yards. Some of my fondest memories of those times are the evenings when my parents and the couple on the other side of the hedge gathered to sit on our front porch or under the neighbors' huge weeping willow tree. I would lie on the glider with my head in one of the adults' laps and be lulled by the quiet conversation and the sound of insects and usually fall asleep. The group would usually break up when it was time for my father to leave for work. He was a dispatcher for the L&N Railroad and always worked the night shift, leaving our house around 10:00 p.m. I'd get to wave to him as he pulled out of the driveway and passed the house, headed down the highway to his destination at Bruceton, some 40 miles away.

John's experiences were similar, but a bit different, having grown up on a farm about a mile out of town. The neighbors were a bit farther away, so less prolonged nightly visiting, but he had the dark sky, the sound of the night insects, the livestock, the creek gurgling, and the extended family gathering in the evenings before bedtime, and the lack of so much electronic sound that we have in today's life.

All the families and businesses that have suffered due to the storms have been in our thoughts and prayers and we have been truly thankful that we came through unscathed. Despite our years in scouting, we don't camp much these days, too many critters to take care of at the Huntsville bunstead. This was an opportunity to slow down, enjoy each other, enjoy nature, and be thankful.

Finally!!

2011-05-01T15:58:00.000-07:00

We're alive and well at the Huntsville bunstead. I have finally found a place with internet while I actually have a computer with me. I tried to post to the blog yesterday on John's iPhone, but after I got everything typed in, it "couldn't contact blogger."

Things are rather primitive here. No power yet. Limited cell service. We're cooking on the grill and Coleman stove in the backyard. Rather like camping at home.

I'm looking forward to having power once again for numerous reasons, of course, but also so that I can get back to reading everyone's blogs. You can email me at artinthewind@gmail.com or bunnits2@yahoo.com (best bet) and I can actually respond.

Take care.

Bunnits and the bunnies

Bunnies and Spinning Wheel

2011-04-27T11:13:00.000-07:00

I often sit and spin in the backyard when I put the buns out in the playpens. We have several hawks and owls in the area, so I have to be on guard for bunny snatchers.

My little Kromski "Mazurka" spinning wheel. You can see Matilda in the background and Lillie's head just peeping out from her hidey.

Lillie checking things out to see what's going on.

Mazurka detail

Matilda thinks she'll...um...hide, too.

Another Mazurka detail

Mopsy disapproves of the whole thing as she perches on her favorite hidey, a recycled cat litter bin painted to blend in a bit more with the surroundings.

A wad of fiber--wool and silk blend. I'm calling it Cinnamon Swirl. I got this at Little Barn fiber shop in Harvest, Alabama back in January.

Lillie stays in her hidey.

Flyer and bobbin--the parts that twist the fiber into yarn and wind it into a controlled mess.

Another flyer and bobbin shot. Both parts turn, but at different rates, so the fiber gets twisted, then wound onto the bobbin. The flyer is the twister and the bobbin is the spool for winding. The "strings" on the back side of the unit (left side of photo) are the drive band. The drive mechanism works sort of like the chain and gears on a bicycle. One goes into a groove on the bobbin and the other in a groove on the flyer. The smaller one on the bobbin turns faster than the larger one on the flyer. This flyer has two grooves (some have more), graduated in size, and the smaller one spins the flyer at a faster rate.

Closeup of spun yarn

Mopsy says, "Are we done yet?"

Have Fiber Will Travel

2011-04-22T22:07:00.000-07:00

I almost always have some fiber and something to twist it with in my van. The van has become my traveling fiber studio. Having ready access to spinning gear is a great way to both pass the time while waiting for appointments or people and to get more spinning done. Sometimes I have my spinning wheel with me, but most of the time I use a drop spindle because of its portability. On this particular day late last summer, I was at one of the Marshall County Parks on Lake Guntersville for a couple of hours and decided to blend some pink, blue, and gold wool to see what the outcome would be.

The traveling studio. Left to right: large Ziploc bag of assorted fibers; basket with some of my spun yarns from a recent craft show, a few drop spindles, a mini niddy noddy for skeining yarn; another Ziploc bag with more fiber and yarn; a birch bark basket for holding whatever needs to be contained, also good for display purposes; shoebox with sundry spinning tools, wool combs, and other supplies; clear plastic bin with carders, pens, paper, bags for storing fiber or yarn, and miscellaneous stuff; a rug that serves as a ground cover for my spinning wheel when I spin with it outside, to keep it from sliding on slick surfaces, or to mark my space when spinning at gatherings, shows, or demos; two things that aren't really part of the spinning studio--a plastic bag of books to go to the Friends of the Library bookstore and a critter carrier left over from taking one of the cats to the vet, but good for transporting wooler-type bunnies if I happen to be enticed to buy one at a fiber festival (generally, I'm pretty good at resisting temptation, but it is becoming increasingly difficult; I almost came home from the Tennessee Fiber Festival last May with a beautiful grey Angora bunny). Not shown: folding lawn chair and folding TV tray/table, essential for a variety of uses besides spinning.

Another shot of the studio.

What a great place to sit and spin.

Closer view of some of the sailboats

Partial contents of my spinning emergency kit: twine--especially handy when a drive band breaks; drop spindle parts including small bag of paper clips and cup hooks for spindle hook repairs; hand lotion; snacks; and a bottle of musical instrument oil for spinning wheel lubrication. In the upper part of the photo is the bag containing the fibers I blended during my visit to the park and the birch bark basket with a little bit of wool I blended before making the photo. Not shown: assortment of small jewelry pliers and wire cutter, emery boards, small pieces of cloth, pocket knife, rubber bands.

The drop spindle I used for that day's spinning session. I make these spindles using wooden toy truck wheels, wooden dowels, and small cup hooks or large paper clips worked into a hook shape. I like to have spindle parts with me in case someone wants to learn to spin. Rather than starting prospective spinners on one of my many other purchased spindles that I often have with me, I make them their own spindles that they can take with them. I sometimes make up starter kits that contain a spindle and a small amount of fiber for purchase when I attend craft shows or demonstrations because of the frequency of requests for on-the-spot lessons.

A carder loaded with the pink, blue, and gold wool. I had these various colors of wool with me and decided to have some fun blending them rather than spinning the colors separately.

After a few passes to blend the colors.

A roll of blended, carded wool, commonly known as a rolag, ready to spin.

Some of the spun fiber. Single-strand, unplied yarn, known as "singles". The lighting made it difficult to capture the colors properly.

Finished two-ply (two-strand) yarn on the niddy noddy (skein winder).

Skein of completed sample of blended two-ply yarn ready to be wound into a ball for knitting.

Finished swatch of blended yarn, stockinette stitch with garter stitch border. I only blended enough fiber to spin a few yards of yarn, so the color distribution would be somewhat different in a larger swatch. I think I like it. I'll need to dye more yarn if I want to make more of this particular blend.

One of the things that I enjoy about having spinning as a hobby is that it is so portable. I can stuff a few essential items in a backpack or a large purse and be ready to spin just about anywhere. Here around Lake Guntersville is of my favorite spinning spots.

International Space Station Sightings

2011-04-17T13:48:00.001-07:00

(I hope these links work)

I watched the International Space Station (ISS) Thursday morning at 5:19 as it passed over Huntsville. Had a nice, clear sky and more than 5 minutes of viewing time. It was also visible over Huntsville the past few days, but the weather has been uncooperative. Here is a website that will let you find sightings for your location: http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/realdata/sightings/cities/skywatch.cgi?country=United+States
Click on your state, then the city you are closest to. It will give viewing information. For locations outside the US and territories, use the NASA Skywatch link here http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/realdata/sightings/SSapplications/Post/JavaSSOP/JavaSSOP.html

ISS will be over Huntsville tonight 7:49 p.m. 5 min. duration, approach 10 deg S, max elevation 24 deg, departure 10 deg ENE. Also 9:27 p.m. less than 1 minute duration, approach 20 deg NW, max 20, depart 20 NW. Monday 8:14 p.m., approach 10 SW, max 69 deg, depart 10 NE (this one will not be directly overhead, but will give a good, high viewing).

Having trouble figuring out the elevation of the ISS? Your fist at arm's length measured from top to bottom is about 10 degrees. Stack your fists one on the other to get the elevation you need. Here is a helpful website: http://www.suite101.com/content/determining-degrees-in-observing-a23517

I have observed that the times of duration of sightings here in Huntsville are actually longer than listed, so it is worth it to try even the short duration flyovers. I suppose it depends on where you are viewing and how far your location is from that posted on the website. Best location would be a high spot with low light and no trees or buildings to block your view. ISS has a magnitude of something like -4.5 or more (very bright), so it it quite bright. However, the moon might make it appear dimmer these next few nights. If you point yourself in the general direction of approach and scan the sky, you will see it pop into view. It moves along at a pretty good clip, but you will usually have time to spot it before departure when it will usually diminish in size and then just wink out.

It's cool. Give it a try. If your night sky is too light, try driving a few miles away from urban locations and see if the dark sky quality improves. Pack some snacks, lawn chairs, and take a friend or a few. Have a sky party.

Matilda

2011-04-08T21:58:00.000-07:00

Buns were out in the playpens today and I was able to get some photos of Matilda enjoying the fresh air and sunshine. Click to enlarge--if you dare.

I'm not sure what the deal is with her coloration. Although I did not buy her as a purebred, she is supposed to be a Californian, but the intensity of the coloring on her points changes seasonally and with almost every molt. She ends up with interesting color patches and little dark rings at the base of her ears.

This one has a sort of portrait quality about it. I think it might become one of my favorite photos of her.

I like the way the sun shining through her ear shows the veins in this one.

This one speaks for itself: The End.

Spring Beauty

2011-04-05T23:43:00.001-07:00

I just couldn't pass up getting a photo of these beautiful blossoms from a tree at a friend's apartment complex the other afternoon.

Here is the tree, one of many that line the sidewalk along the parking lot. It was a lovely sight.

My Other Art

2011-03-31T22:20:00.000-07:00

I don't usually post photos of the yarn I spin because I am never happy with the color quality. I've tried various settings and lighting, but the colors are rarely accurate. I decided to just forget it and throw this one out here. It would have been better to try during the day in natural light, but I didn't feel like waiting. Tomorrow something else will come along to require a goodly portion of my time and I 'll miss the blogging window. Except for being a bit more green and gray than the real stuff, this was the best setting on the camera. Everything else yielded mostly reds and oranges, which was worse than this. Maybe I should have turned off the table lamp and used the ceiling light. It looks a little better when I tilt the screen a bit. I do have a friend who has agreed to photograph my yarn, but there's always the schedule thing to work around. It's kind of hard to believe that my work used to involve photographing artifacts and doing detailed photos for archaeological sites. Oh, heck. Never mind all that. This is the creative medium that I have spent most of the past nine years on. The return to drawing doesn't mean that I will give up spinning. No way! I just feel the need to get back to that other part of myself.

Backsliding, a New Venture, and Some Old Drawings

2011-03-30T14:16:00.000-07:00

(apologies for problems in font variations and text size in this post--no clue what happened and can't seem to fix it--the more I try, the worse it gets, so I'm just leaving it alone)

I thought I'd be able to resume at least weekly posts when I got more computer access, but that hasn't been the case. I'm just too tired. I also still have to get the hard drive from the other laptop I was using and get that stuff put on this one or on an external drive so that I have access to photos I uploaded to it before it died. I just want all of you to know how much I enjoy keeping up with your blogs. They make me smile. I have mostly worked out the comment problem and seem to be able to comment most of the time.

I am treating myself to an art class. A lovely lady who lives only a couple of miles from the house is a retired art teacher and gives lessons in the medium of your preference at her home. My sister-in-law wanted to try oil painting and started taking lessons from her last year. She let me know that a space had opened up in the class. I went for the first time yesterday.For the past 9 years I've been devoting almost all my creative energies to spinning and it has been years since I've really done any drawing. I was a bit apprehensive because of being so out of practice. The teacher asked me to bring some stuff I'd done in the past. I got a little dose of reality regarding the passage of time when I looked at the dates on some of my drawings. 1976, 1981, 1993! Yikes! After being a little creaky at the beginning of class and having to get used to really seeing my subject, I began to get the eye-hand coordination warmed up. I think I will be working on drawings with colored pencils for some time (love those Prismacolor pencils!). I'd like to get back to block printing, too, but for now, drawing.

Here are some old drawings from my early classes. I apologize for the quality of the cell phone photos and lack of cropping.

I remember at UT that we began with charcoal drawings of things the instructor would devise ranging from piles of easels, piles of shoes, our own hands, drift wood, sea shells, draped fabric, and more. Here are a few hands.

my left hand, black conte crayon

same hand, different position, red conte

some scribblings of the same old hand, black conte

yellow and blue sneakers belonging to No. 1 Son at age 5, black conte, unfinished

Years later I took a few classes from a local artist who was involved with our art league. His work is quite interesting and, although he insisted we "do our own thing," I tended to lean a bit in the direction of his work for a while, in order to get myself to do some other things with my drawings. He often had us do a collage and then draw it. The first time he gave us that assignment, he brought in stacks of magazines and told us that for the next few weeks we'd be working with collages. About halfway through the first collage session, we presented him with our finished compositions, eagerly awaiting his remarks. He told us we had all done interesting and creative pieces and finished his remarks with "Now draw your collage." That was quite a surprise for us. Some people had chosen elements for their collages that they would not have chosen (or especially wanted) to draw. Many were quite challenging. I've only put in this one bit of a larger collage because the entire drawing looks like a nightmare someone would have after watching "The Birds."

parrot head from a larger drawing of a collage, 1993, pen, ink, colored pencil, watercolor

Now, this is Elvis. Elvis is nicely and professionally framed and I did not want to try to get it out of the frame in order to photograph it. I have tried several times with a variety of lighting conditions to get a good photo of this drawing, but it isn't happening right now. Elvis began in 1981 as a pencil drawing on white paper of a photograph of a windblown male cardinal from an issue of a nature magazine that someone gave me one day in the archaeology lab when we were probably supposed to be sorting and cataloging artifacts. Actually, I did the drawing at home, but we were taking a break from the tedium of the daily lab grind to look through issues of neat photo magazines someone had brought in. Time passed. I was looking for something to give my favorite aunt for Christmas in 1993. She loved birds. I ran across the drawing of Elvis and was in the middle of my art league classes. I decided to do Elvis for her in colored pencils, but he just didn't look all that great on white paper. I experimented with other colors and really liked black for the background. After I got it finished, I realized it was not unlike those tourist shop offerings we often saw up in East Tennessee and other places that featured paintings on black velvet, which were often of matadors or Elvis Presley. Hence, the name. I wish the photo quality was better. I managed to crop out the worst of the reflections on the glass. It really is a nice drawing. My aunt loved it and she hung it in a prominent place in her living room where it stayed until last June. She passed away two years ago, then her only child passed away last year. I asked for Elvis back when her house was being prepared for auction. One of these days I might be able to get someone who knows what they are doing to make a better photo of it.

Elvis (under glass), 1993, colored pencil on black paper, from a 1981 drawing of a photo published in a nature magazine

Technical Annoyance

2011-03-12T13:41:00.000-08:00

Okay. I thought I had one set of computer problems mostly solved, but last night I discovered that I am currently able to post comments to only a few of the blogs I follow. I've had a similar problem in the past, but was unable to post comments at all. I haven't found the cause or been able to overcome it, yet, so have to work on that. I am back to reading everyone's blogs, but just can't get the comments button to work on all of them. In the meantime, it is going to take me a while to become accustomed to this computer and Windows 7. At least I feel as though I'm back in circulation and can enjoy all the bunny antics and other neat stuff.

What Dreams May Come

2011-03-11T16:49:00.001-08:00

Pants was sleeping beside me on the sofa the other day as I watched TV and caught up on some knitting. I began to hear intermittent thumping sounds that gradually got louder. Turning in the direction of the sound, I discovered that Pants was thumping his tail in his sleep and his tail was all bushed up to about twice its normal size. He often gets a bushy tail when something frightens him, when he's engaged in some really serious play, or when arguing with one of the other cats. He was obviously dreaming about something. I wonder was happening in the dream that made his tail bush up. He's such a sweetie. I hope it wasn't a nightmare.

Great Ball of Fire

2011-03-08T15:14:00.000-08:00

Sunset at Guntersville Dam, Feb. 26, 2011 (cell phone photo).

A Late Valentine

2011-02-14T22:41:00.000-08:00

Here's a Valentine's photo from National Geographic (Photo of the Day, Feb.14, 2011 "Hares playing in Italy;" search the site by title or date if it doesn't come up when you click the link).

http://photography.nationalgeographic.com/photography/photo-of-the-day/

Update

2011-01-27T11:49:00.000-08:00

I've been off the grid lately, mostly due to lack of time and opportunity. I've been using my cell phone to check email and Facebook. Haven't been able to keep up with all my blog buddies, so I have lots of catching up to do and not sure how far I'll get with that any time soon.

I helped with a weaving workshop for the Cullman Fiber Guild, teaching new weavers how to dress/warp a loom. We had several table looms of various sizes and a couple of portable floor looms available. Lots of fun and got my 8-harness table loom up and running. For the workshop, we did 5-inch wide samples using 2-yard warps so it wouldn't take so long to measure the warp and dress the looms. It was neat to see the smiles on the faces of the attendees when they got the looms all ready to go and wove their samples.

Tuesday of this week I drove up to Knoxville with my daughter and friends to attend a lecture by Noam Chomsky, a professor at MIT, linguist, philosopher, and anarchist. I'd used several of his linguistic works in both undergraduate and graduate papers on language origins and cognitive development. He was to speak about his career. There was a huge response to this event. It was free and required no reservations. The auditiorium only held 900 people. Priority was given to UT students (not sure how many they let in), although there was some seating for the general public. We arrived about an hour before the lecture which was held at what used to be the old Alumni Gym when I was a student there. The line was out the door, down the street, and around the building to the front of Neyland Stadium. Shortly after we got in line, people began walking away from the building with the news that the auditorium was full and they were turning people away. Unfortunately, we and several hundred others didn't get in. Some folks who were turned away had been in line for two hours or more and had come from Nashville (about as far away as Huntsville) and elsewhere. Some people had arrived at 4:00 p.m. to get seats for the 7:00 p.m. event. Reluctant to give up, we waited in the misty rain along with other die-hards until the talk was about to start and checked one more time, but the auditorium was at capacity. No way they'd let anyone else in because of fire marshall's regulations. Disappointed, we went to find food and joked about how we should have staged a sit-in to protest not having been able to get in. As we walked toward the university center, we saw that the line was still just as long as it had been when we arrived and more folks were still lining up. A pity the organizing committee did not anticipate such a response and schedule it for one of the larger auditoriums on campus or require reservations. Our spirits were lifted somewhat when we ate at a delightful Indian restaurant, Taj, on Cumberland Avenue. The food was delicious and it was a relief to get out of the drizzle for a while. After dinner we went back to the auditiorum to see if there was a book signing. What luck! We got to meet him and get our books signed. It wasn't a total loss.

Time to go. Keep posting and I'll check in when I can.

More Snow Photos

2011-01-11T13:47:00.001-08:00

Bored yet? These were made on Monday morning between 7:00 and 10:00. Light snow and sleet was still falling.

view from the front porch in daylight

birdbath topped with snow

looks like five and a half inches

sledders heading for the top of the hill

finished shoveling for a while

backyard with dog tracks

silly dogs playing in the snow

one silly dog (Bo)

the other silly dog (Dixie)

My Head Feels Funny

2011-01-10T01:00:00.001-08:00

While trying to post the snow update, along came Twinkie who jumped onto my shoulder and sat down on my head. I think she was trying to tell me something.

Snow at Midnight

2011-01-09T23:01:00.001-08:00

Two hours later. These photos are pretty much like the last, just more snow.

another shot down the street; streaks are snowflakes captured by the flash

the porch chairs are getting snow cushions

accumulation on the cars; wondering how they will look by morning

just can't resist shooting up into the falling flakes

Night Snow Photos

2011-01-09T21:00:00.000-08:00

The snow and sleet mix about 10:00 p.m. and more to come. Made with the cell phone.

looking up into the snow

accumulation on our cars after about an hour

snow blowing onto the front porch and beginning to cover the tabletop

looking down the street from the front porch

Starry Day

2011-01-03T22:00:00.000-08:00

sunny day, Decatur, Alabama, December 2010, cell phone camera photo filtered through car windshield and polarized sunglasses

Happy New Year!!!!! 2011

2010-12-31T21:35:00.001-08:00

Parting shots from 2010--our White Christmas in Alabama (click to enlarge if you wish)

a frosty leaf

two shots from a drive along Hobbs Island Road a few days after the snow

calling this one Mt. Baldy (along Hobbs Island Rd)

snowy farm and mountains in background (along Hobbs Island Road)

early morning snow sparkling on car rooftop

A new day and a new year (glowing cloud bank, bright area in center, highlighted by rising sun to the right out of frame)

Eclipse Parties

2010-12-27T10:40:00.000-08:00

Still having computer difficulties, so I'm getting behind on reading blogs. I was just doing a little catching up and while visiting Crafty Green Poet was reminded of the lunar eclipse that I did not get to see last week. My comment on her eclipse post prompted me to post this.

Eclipse parties. The two younger kids and I used to enjoy watching lunar eclipses and meteor showers whenever possible. We would put sleeping bags and pillows on the ground in the front yard (our best spot for viewing), get some snacks together, and settle in for the show. We've been doing this since they were in kindergarten or maybe even in preschool. Summer or winter, if the sky was clear or even partially clear, we'd lie out on the front lawn and watch. It was great fun. Admittedly, when they were younger they often fell asleep before the big show and I would have to wake them up for a quick look before putting them to bed, but the anticipation, preparation, and time together lying out on the ground were as much a part of the experience as the viewing. Their dad usually preferred to stay inside and just peek out now and then to see how things were progressing, but he did his part in the family experience by bringing us hot chocolate when the weather was cold and inquiring as to whether we needed anything at other times of the year, then helping me get the sleepyheads to bed and clean up our viewing site. Our outside cats would join us and sometimes we'd be treated to visits by neighbors' cats as well as the occasional non-domesticated critters such as raccoons or 'possums crossing the yard to get from one neighborhood foraging spot to another.

I remember one eclipse party when Robert was in kindergarten. It must have been a total eclipse because of the amount of publicity beforehand, but I don't really remember (guess I could look it up if I felt like taking the time to work out the year). At any rate, I allowed him to stay up well past normal bedtime to watch with his sister and me, all the while thinking that he was probably going to be really sleepy at school the next day and the teacher would admonish me for allowing him to stay up so late. His sister, only in the third grade, would probably have to endure the same chastisement from her teacher and I would get it from both teachers. My defense would be that this was a wonderful educational opportunity that doesn't happen that often and one that I did not think they should miss. I hoped to instill in my children a love of the natural world and astronomy, so they would be allowed to stay up for the eclipse. We watched the event and the kids were awake most of the time, catnapping now and then. We made it to school just fine the next morning, but I dreaded afternoon carpool when the teachers for the early elementary grades gathered to monitor and assist the boarding of their students like mother hens herding their chicks to safety. I could just hear the teacher's remarks: "Mrs. Lehman! What possessed you to allow Robert to stay up so late to watch the eclipse! He has been off task all day and a complete sleepy head. Maintaining a regular schedule and getting enough sleep is essential to one's well-being. Please do not do this again." Oh, well. I'd face the music when the time came. In the meantime, we were watching the eclipse.

The next afternoon as I waited in the carpool line, I saw Robert's teacher, Mrs. Souvenir, heading straight for my car. Uh oh. I was in for it. I cringed in anticipation. Wait. She was smiling. This is not what I expected. Perhaps she thought to catch more flies with honey and approach with a sweet demeanor before telling me how irresponsible it was that I let my children stay up until nearly 2:00 in the morning to watch a lunar eclipse. To my surprise and great relief, she commended me heartily for allowing them to stay up to have the opportunity to view this rare phenomenon of nature. She told me that Robert was the only kid in the class who could make any reasonable comments about the eclipse, even after their classroom discussions the previous days, and the only one who actually got to see it. Whew! I was relieved. Mrs. Souvenir was a wonderful teacher, but a stickler for schedules, so that kind of positive reinforcement was quite a surprise. However, even if she had figuratively given me detention for depriving my children of sleep, I would have still made a point to try to get them out to watch eclipses whenever weather and visibility allowed. They can always sleep, but they can't always view an eclipse.

We were hoping for another eclipse party last week. We'd had several consecutive nights of very clear skies, even though the temperatures were quite low. I was anticipating snuggly sleeping bags and Dad delivering hot chocolate now and then. Unfortunately, cloud cover had set in early in the day and never cleared during the night. It didn't look as though there would be any possibility of viewing, so we didn't even try to get together for it. Now and then I would go to the front porch to see if there was a break in the clouds, but no luck. Because it seemed that the cloud cover was light, I hoped that it might be possible to see a faint red glow through the clouds at totality, but I think the cloud cover increased as the night wore on.

We missed the eclipse. And our eclipse party. Robert is now 20 and Joanna is 23, so this might have been the last chance to get together for an eclipse party before the kids leave the area and go their separate ways. We should have had a party in honor of the eclipse, lying out in the cold on our sleeping bags, snacking, drinking hot chocolate, and talking of past eclipse parties while viewing the lovely blanket of clouds. I can only hope that they will continue this tradition of family eclipse parties and have them with their children with the time comes.

And who knows, maybe we'll have a party to commemorate the eclipse, complete with sleeping bags and hot chocolate on the front lawn, before the new semester begins.

White Christmas

2010-12-25T21:59:00.000-08:00

First look out the window Christmas morning.

Looking out the front door

Backseat photographer making pictures on the way to daughter's apartment on campus

Even though it continued to snow throughout the day, the streets weren't too bad, mostly just wet,

thanks to temperatures hovering right around freezing

and these hard working Alabama "snow plows"

Not many folks on campus during Christmas; all quiet at the fitness center

and even on Greek Row

Later temperatures dropped and streets began icing over. Several were closed, including I-565, Memorial Parkway, and other roads at higher elevations, but we got home just fine after a fun Christmas Day with the family on campus.

Sundog (Parhelion) Information

2010-12-20T08:13:00.001-08:00

For those of you who want more information on sundogs (parhelia, Latin for "beside the sun") check out the Atmospheric Optics website http://www.atoptics.co.uk. Look for the topic "Ice Halos" and also try "Search-Index." The site features many kinds of atmospheric optical phenomena with explanations and wonderful photographs. If you decided to search for sundogs, be sure to shield your eyes from the sun.

As astronomer Jack Horkheimer (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Horkheimer:_Star_Gazer and http://www.starhustler.com/) used to say, "Keep looking up!"

Update

2010-12-17T16:02:00.000-08:00

(sundog, Dec 17, 2010; as usual, click to enlarge)

Still having computer woes. No relief in sight. Saw two more sundogs this afternoon. Too cool. Took bad photos of them with the cell phone. The weather is much milder here today--anything is better than 12 degrees. Cats, rabbits, and dogs are doing well and trying to find mischief to get into. Finally got new glasses to replace the ones I broke last year. They look just about like the pair before the last ones. Liked the last ones best, but these have magnetic clip-on sunglasses. They are supposed to be the new generation of Transitions lenses, too, but I can't tell any difference. The clip-ons are handy when in the car because the tinted windows inhibit the darkening function of the Transitions lenses. Christmas is rapidly approaching and I'm not ready.

3 in 30

2010-12-14T15:20:00.000-08:00

Driving home from Guntersville this afternoon, we were treated to three different sundog sightings in just over thirty minutes. My apologies for the poor photo quality. Colors are washed out because of the brightness of the sun and the camera quality. Although sometimes I get pretty good photos with the cell phone, I didn't today.

No. 1, sighted about 1:50 p.m. when we were atop the hill near River Ridge Road at Gunter's Landing. The little bright spot is the parhelion (sundog). The colors don't show up in the photo. The bright sun to the left washed everything out.

No. 2 spotted about 2:05 p.m. on the highway between Grant and New Hope is a good example of what atmospheric phenomena are not. The bright spot in the center of the pink column is the parhelion; sun to the left out of the frame.The pink column and the tiny white spot above and to the left are photographic. Reflections in window of interior of vehicle are definitely not atmospheric phenomena. This sighting was neat because the entire cloud dissipated as the sundog faded with the movement of the sun.

No. 3 made about 2: 35 p.m. driving east on Weatherly Road. Despite the bright sun, you can see a little color in this photo. The horizontal rainbow line above the sun is photographic.

A shot of the cirrus clouds that often contain the hexagonal plate-shaped ice crystals that make sundogs possible.

Sunday's Snow and Beyond

2010-12-14T13:32:00.000-08:00

Snow Saturday night and all day Sunday, into Monday. Not much accumulation, but fun to watch. Here I was driving to Guntersville on Sunday around noon to pick up Robert. The foggy stuff in the distance is the snow really beginning to come down. Not much detail. Never sure how these aim-and-shoot photos will turn out, since I can't look at the view screen and drive at the same time.

Stopped at the Shell Station in New Hope to get some shots of the snow flakes aka giant snow blobs.

On the way back, Robert got this shot of accumulation on a field. The dark spot is standing water. With daily temperatures not getting above 30 and down into the teens at night it has been frozen now since Sunday evening.

Today snow is only left in shady spots and on icy surfaces like this little frozen pond just down from the Gunter's Landing gatehouse.

One of My Favorite Photos

2010-12-13T12:39:00.001-08:00

Daughter, Joanna, and big ol' kitty, Pants (Pascal)

(laptop still not fixed)

Diversion

2010-12-01T11:39:00.000-08:00

Tired of the tech problems, so here are some old photos that I hope you enjoy.

Matilda shows off the bun nose

Periwinkle shows off his good luck charm

LillieBun in a favorite spot

Pester checking out the truck

Unknown sheep ladies

Football Bun

Twink learning to spin

Kids check out kids at the museum

It's Always Something

2010-12-01T11:17:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, cold and rainy, the heating unit died. Called the repair guy. Won't come until the rain stops. Probably today. He called this morning. New unit is in the works, but not until the big boss comes out and looks things over to give the final verdict and estimate. Probably have it in by the end of the week. Gee. Just as we go into a cold spell. Currently 38 degrees outside and 56 inside. Might have to break out a space heater.

Technical Difficulties

2010-11-18T10:02:00.000-08:00

My old laptop has died. I'm trying to decide whether to fix it or get a new one. In the meantime, I have computer access, but most of the stuff I keep for the blog is on the laptop. Posting will be more erratic than usual, but I will continue to check out the blogs I follow.

Good Advertising

2010-11-09T09:07:00.001-08:00

Three's a Crowd

2010-11-01T15:06:00.001-07:00

Twinkie, Pants, and Pushkin squished into the kitchen window.

Two's Company

2010-11-01T15:03:00.001-07:00

Pants and Twinkie in the kitchen window.

Happy Halloween!!

2010-10-27T20:46:00.000-07:00

Mystical Pants

2010-10-27T20:44:00.001-07:00

A Bird in the Hand

2010-10-25T07:12:00.001-07:00

I found this little Pine Warbler at the end of my driveway the other day. He was lying face down with wings spread, dazed. He didn't appear to have been mauled by the cats. It is possible that he had flown into something. I'm not sure what happened to him, but I picked him up to keep the cats from getting to him. After a brief rest and encouragement from his friends, he was able to fly away.

Here he is resting in a dishpan. The entire time he was disabled, his buddies were chirping and calling to him. The noise they were making was what caused me to walk to the end of the driveway to see what was going on in the first place. There are plenty of Pine Warblers in the neighborhood and they are often in our backyard, flitting, chirping, and fussing about in the trees.

I had to take one more photo of this adorable face before letting him go. Click for a closer look.

Baby Pants

2010-10-21T22:13:00.001-07:00

Dress Pants

2010-10-19T00:00:00.000-07:00

Portrait

2010-10-18T00:40:00.000-07:00

Two More Photos of the Ladies and Parting Shots

2010-10-13T23:59:00.000-07:00

I didn't get these two photos uploaded yesterday, so I thought I'd include them in this post.

The Nina at Guntersville, AL, October 12, 2010

The Pinta at Guntersville, AL, October 12, 2010

And now the ladies leave Guntersville for Chattanooga, TN. Although they make use of wind and sail as much as possible, they are equipped with inboard motors in order to adhere to schedules and navigate rivers a bit more efficiently. They had been in Florence, AL before heading to Huntsville and Guntersville. Had I thought about it, I would have gone over to Guntersville Dam to watch them go through the locks. It would have given an opportunity for some interesting photos. I had hoped to get to Guntersville in time to watch them leave, hoping that they would get away under sail. However, I was late leaving Huntsville and was only able to watch them fade into the distance.

The Nina and the Pinta depart Guntersville, AL (October 13, 2010)

One of the ladies headed to Chattanooga, October 13, 2010

For more information, photos, and schedule visit the website for The Columbus Foundation.

Columbus Day 2010

2010-10-12T15:11:00.000-07:00

The Nina (front) and Pinta at Guntersville, AL, October 12, 2010

I thought I'd missed these ships this time on their visit to North Alabama. I saw the Nina at Guntersville about 12 years ago. This time, both the Nina and the Pinta were here in Huntsville at Ditto Landing and at Guntersville before heading on up to Chattanooga, Tennessee. Thinking they'd already left the area, I was enjoying the photos from a couple of fellow bloggers this morning when I decided to check the website and see what the schedule was. Turns out they are in Guntersville until 10/13, so we drove over for a quick look. It was neat to see replicas of two of the three ships that Columbus and his men used to cross the Atlantic and bump into North America.

The Nina and the Pinta and others of their era are such small vessels. If you click on the photo, you get a better idea of the size of the ships in comparison to the visitors on board. The Nina is a full-size replica, but the Pinta is a bit larger than the original. The beam (maximum width of the deck) of the Nina is only 18 feet. It is amazing to think of the early seafarers crossing vast expanses of ocean in ships narrower than my family room is wide. When I was 11 and and visited Plimouth Plantation, I saw the Mayflower II, the replica of the Mayflower that carried the Pilgrims to the New World. I could hardly believe those brave people had survived their voyage on such a tiny ship. It was so small that it seemed like a toy, especially when compared to the U.S.S. Constitution, "Old Ironsides," that I had seen earlier that summer at Boston Harbor. A few years ago I had the same feeling when we visited Jamestown and saw replicas of vessels that regularly crossed the Atlantic transporting food, animals, equipment, and other necessities for daily living for the folks living in the colonies.

I made a few more photos of the Nina and the Pinta, but I recommend visiting Giraffe Head Tree's post "The Nina and the Pinta" and "A Special Columbus Day Visit" at Sunny Side Up for some really neat photos.

The Nina and the Pinta will be in Guntersville until about 1:00 p.m. tomorrow before heading up to Chattanooga, so if you have time and are in the area, go take a look.

Work, Work, Work

2010-10-06T23:47:00.001-07:00

Yep, work, work, work. Seems to be keeping me from putting together even the occasional post. I really must get in gear and get something posted. In the meantime, perhaps a photo from a short trip up to our hometown in Tennessee back in June.

Family Farm: neat old tree in the front yard of the old house that my husband grew up in

Buns at Rest

2010-09-19T15:36:00.001-07:00

A couple of shots of Gabby and Matilda chillin' in the bunny pen. The other two wouldn't be still long enough to photograph.

The grassy areas in the pens are just about gone from hopping and munching and dry weather these last few weeks, but the dirt makes a cool place to relax.

I find it interesting that the color of Matilda's points varies through the weeks. Always darker after a molt, they fade to pale gray before she begins another one. Not having done much research on Californians, I don't know if this is a usual trait of the breed or if it is possible that she is not purebred. At any rate, she is a lovely, large, pink-eyed bunny with a mind of her own and quite dear to me, although she does have a bit of bunitude now and then. Then there's Gabby, a Britianna Petite mix--just too cute, but not the most sociable bunny. Her bunitude abounds, but you gotta love her.

A Monarch Journey

2010-09-18T11:52:00.000-07:00

I could not find the larger of the two monarch caterpillars yesterday morning. I found that the smaller one had shed its skin and took that as a good sign. My son came out onto the front porch as I was looking for the bigger one and told me that there was a caterpillar on one of the chairs. Since it was attached to the chair arm and beginning to go into the "J" position to form the chrysalis, I decided to leave it alone and put some cord on the chair to keep people from sitting in it. I was really looking forward to watching the rest of the metamorphosis.

I was surprised to find it on the chair because I had already covered the milkweed with tulle after finding the caterpillar under one of the leaves. I wondered how it had managed to get from the plant to the chair. I did leave a small portion of the plant uncovered a few inches from the ground. The caterpillar would have to crawl across the flowerbed, up the brick, across the porch, and up onto the arm of the chair. One of the black swallowtail caterpillars had done a similar escape act from the butterfly cage I'd made earlier in the summer and made its way up to a plant hanger hook at the top of the porch, but it only had to crawl up the length of the cage to the hook where the cage was hanging. I've never had them do this before.

This photo gives you an idea of the journey the caterpillar made from the milkweed to the chair. PetCat contemplates the caterpillar's journey, too.

Unfortunately, later when I returned home around 2:00 in in the afternoon, I discovered that the caterpillar was not doing so well. It was limp and had straightened out. I feared the worst. I checked it out as best I could and was not hopeful. I left it overnight and by morning was certain that it was dead.

I removed it from the arm of the chair and put it under some mulch near the base of the milkweed plant. I have been unsuccessful in locating the smaller caterpillar this afternoon and have not spotted any smaller (or larger) ones on either of the plants. Perhaps others will hatch and grow into butterflies to make the flight to Mexico.

Quick! Grab the Tulle and a Camera!

2010-09-16T00:21:00.001-07:00

When I went out this morning to see if the little monarch caterpillar was still there, I didn't see it at first and was disappointed that something had gotten it before I could get tulle over the milkweed plant. However, I was determined to search the plant and was delighted when I finally found not one, but two caterpillars. The one my daughter had spied last night was hiding on the underside of a leaf and there was a smaller one under another leaf on a different stalk. The sun was quite bright and it was difficult to see (should have grabbed my sunglasses, but time was short, so I squinted), but it appeared that there were some eggs on a few other leaves. As usual, the camera on the cell phone in my pocket was the closest available photographic device.

This isn't the greatest shot (click to enlarge), but I was in a hurry to get the tulle over the milkweed before any marauding wasps or other critters could get to the caterpillars. I had to get ready for work, so my time was limited.

Oops! In my hurry to get things finished and get ready for work, I cut the top off the milkweed in this shot. You get the idea. There is another milkweed plant in the flowerbed on the other side of the porch, but I didn't really have time to look closely for caterpillars. I decided it would be better to leave that one uncovered for any monarchs that might come by looking for a snack. This is the first year I've planted milkweed and I'm not sure how many caterpillars my limited supply can sustain, but perhaps I can save a few from predators so that they can mature and make the trip down to Mexico. I don't think I have anything on the agenda in the morning, so I hope to have more time to look for caterpillars and eggs before going to work.

I'd like to give my daughter a big thank you for spotting that caterpillar last night. You got some good eyes, Girlie Girl!

Monarch Caterpillar!!

2010-09-15T00:22:00.000-07:00

My daughter was at the house late (past midnight) and as she was leaving, spied a caterpillar on the milkweed in the flower bed at the front porch (see the post for 9/12 just below this one). I couldn't see well because I didn't have my glasses on and the only light source was from the front porch light. It appeared to be a monarch caterpillar. I just checked it out on Google and, yep, that's what it is. I'm excited! I just hope it's still there in the morning so that I can try to get a photo. Here are a few links (hope they work).

http://butterflybushes.com/monarch_metamorphosis.htm

http://www.learner.org/jnorth/tm/monarch/CaterpillarFeast.html (there's a video you can watch featuring an extremely hungry caterpillar)

http://www.monarch-butterfly.com/

http://www.monarchbutterflyusa.com/Cycle.htm

Monarch

2010-09-12T12:57:00.000-07:00

I finally managed to get a photo of a monarch in the yard. This one was flitting around the milkweed and it took me several attempts to get a shot.

Life with Cats

2010-09-04T19:32:00.001-07:00

Just a few ways that cats are useful

Helping at work

(Drechmacher, the museum cat, at Chucalissa, early 80's)

Napping

(Twinkie snuggling in the blanket, 2009)

Keeping an eye on things

(Stormy in the backyard, 2009?)

Decorating the Christmas Tree

(Twinkie, Christmas 2009)

Helping at home

(Pants and John fold laundry, 2009)

Napping

(Pants snoozing on the blanket, 2009)

Back to the Salt Mines

2010-09-03T01:15:00.000-07:00

Started a new job on Monday. That's me in the right foreground. Kind of kookie hours, but I can't complain after having been unemployed for 18 months. Besides, my normal routine (routine? what's that?) is pretty kookie, anyway, so it's really pretty much a fit for me. Best part is no standing for long hours at a stretch (my arthritic hip is thankful), no digging square holes in the ground and screening heavy loads of dirt for artifacts (again, my hip thanks me), and I get paid (my bank account thanks me). Worst part is that it cuts into the time I have to spend enjoying everyone's blogs and tending to my own. Well. . . could be worse.

Cigar factory workers 1927; RenBoggio at photobucket (http://media.photobucket.com/image/factory%20workers/RenBoggio/1927-factory-workers.jpg?o=9)

Who Who Who-o-o

2010-08-29T00:08:00.000-07:00

Enjoyed seeing this Great Horned Owl at the Chattanooga Zoo. There are some in our neighborhood. Very impressive when they fly past. Sometimes we hear them hooting at night. If you hoot, they will hoot back. Fun.

Tiger Swallowtail

2010-08-27T20:40:00.000-07:00

At Burritt Museum on Thursday afternoon I saw this Tiger Swallowtail enjoying the butterfly bush. This fellow was really hard to photograph. It just would not be still. Using the cell phone because it was a surprise sighting and, naturally, the phone was the only photographic device I had at the moment. I never got a good shot, so this is the best of the worst.

Scenic North Alabama: Old Farm Building in Morgan County

2010-08-24T22:29:00.000-07:00

A Feathered Beauty at the Chattanooga Zoo, June 2010

2010-08-20T08:12:00.001-07:00

Got several shots of this fellow feeling proud of himself. None very good, but this is my favorite. Click to enlarge.

Finally!!

2010-08-16T16:24:00.000-07:00

Well, folks, we walked into the showroom and there it was. Our search for a replacement for the van was over as soon as we laid eyes on it. In the background, you can see John heading over to do some serious talking with the sales manager.

Just look at that 8.4 litre, V 10 engine.

Be still my heart.

The interior.

I was delighted to find that it is a perfect fit for me--everything within easy reach, including the stick for the 6-speed manual transmission and all the pedals. I don't even have to stretch out full length to push the clutch to the floor.

John is looking pretty good in it, too. Sorry I blurred the photo, but I was so excited that I just couldn't hold the phone steady.

One last showroom photo before going out for a drive.

With a base sticker price of $89,000 and outfitted to the tune of $120,000, it was a little more than we were looking for, but it was love at first sight. How could we pass that up?

Well, one last look at my little disabled Orca. We used to joke about the van being the great white whale and I had called it Moby for a while, but began calling it Orca and the name just sort of stuck. This Dodge Grand Caravan has been a really good vehicle and I'm sorry to lose the use of it.

July 22, 2010

A better look at the crunch at home before being towed away.

Well, back to reality and the business of getting that awesome replacement. . . .

Just about to head out for the test drive. Take a look at how good she looked once we got her around in front of the showroom.

Sorry, no Viper, but a pretty nice Chrysler Town and Country. Could it be that John is wiping his fevered brow in relief back there behind the van?

I really like this van. It is used, but in great condition, about as close as you can get to literally being owned by a little old lady who only drove to church on Sundays. I don't know if I'll get 8 years and 223,000 miles out of it like I did my Orca, but I'll certainly make an earnest effort to do so.

Black Swallowtail Caterpillars: the Rest of the Story

2010-08-14T00:01:00.000-07:00

After having gotten sidetracked by the car wreck that totaled my van (in the background awaiting pickup by the insurance company), I am finally able to get around to posting some photos of the sequence of metamorphosis of the Black Swallowtails from larvae to adults. Click on the photos to enlarge.

The netting I used to keep predators away from the caterpillars for a few days until some of them could grow large enough to pupate; not pretty, but functional

One of the big ones before I covered the fennel (my hand is behind the caterpillar to show scale; I'm not holding it because I try to handle them as little as possible)

Looking through the netting at two of the larger ones busy munching fennel

Three more through the netting; can you find them?

A big one who will be getting "sleepy" soon, but still has plenty of eating to do

One of the caterpillars "getting sleepy" (beginning to pupate)

A chrysalis formed by one of the four caterpillars I temporarily moved to a butterfly cage

On the fennel--empty chrysalis (brown) at top and one still waiting (green) at bottom

An empty chrysalis from the butterfly cage

Occupant of the empty chrysalis in the previous photo; one of "my babies" after having emerged from the chrysalis, its wings all pumped up and dry

Pester taking far too much interest in the butterfly

Moving the butterfly from Pester's reach

Brand new Black Swallowtail fluttering over the flowers; the fennel has seen better days